Battery cap



A, GARRHSON BATTERY CAP Filed Aug. 22, 1927 as rests.

Patent den, l, 1929..

- BATTERY car.

My invention relates to improvements in the caps on storage batteries. These caps are usually threaded so that they may be removed for testing the quantity and the composition of the liquid in the battery, and they inexpensive device of few parts which occupies no more space than an ordinary battery cap.

i l attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section of the assembled device Figure 2, a vertical section of the assembled device with the element whichoperates as combination hydrometer and valve lifted to the position assumed when inspecting the liquid in the battery.

. Similar numerals refer to similar, parts throughout-Q 1) represents the liquid at approximately its normal levelin the battery. I The cap (2) difiers'from the usual cap in two respects as follows: first, a cylinder constitutes the lower part of the cap, is of the same material as the cap. and cast in one piece with it, and when in lace in the battery, extends to a point just elow the proper level of the liquid in the battery; second, the

to cap has a hole extending through it, of the same diameter as the inside of the cylinder and flared at its upper end to form a valve seat. It is upon this valve seat that the element operating as a valveand hydrometer The small opening (6 the wall of the cap, above the level oitne li aid in the bat-y 'i v y Permits e gases and 'quid spray to pass into the ca below the valve seat.

v m The shape 0 the top and the outside of i the cap, above the valve seat, is not important sink if the battery is entirely discharged,

in the'operation of the device and may be varied to satisfy difierent reqpiirem'ents. The top of the cap illustrated is nnel shaped.

It is not important in the operation of the device that the cap be removable sincethe by lifting the valve from its seat.

, T ire-7,353

ALLEN GABBIISON, 0F HOUSTON, TEXAS.

opening through the cap is large enough for the fillin operation; therefore it is optional 'whetherrit be threaded as illustrated or cast in one piece with the cover.

The element comprisng the combination hydrometer and valve consists of a glass cyhnder (3), tapered or otherwise part1 closed at the bottom'and just long enough to dip below the surface of theliquid when n o eration; an elastic bulb (4).; spheres of gra ed specific gravity (5), in the illustration there are four spheres; aplug (7) in the upper part of the glass cylinder to revent spheres from entering the elastic bu b.

The glass cylinderand contents serve as a valve stem, the elastic bulb serves as a valve head and supports the wei ht of the element; the glass. cylinder must e smaller than the openmg in the cap leaving an an- 75, nular space between it and the cap and the elastic bulb must fit snugly over theopen- 1n. A e shape of the elastic bulb,-with the exception that it must fit the valve seat, is

not important in the operation of the device,

it may be made low andflat if a particularly low cap is desired. It may be made as low as the common variety of cap.

Whenthe element is in place it completely closes the opening into the battery. The gases generated in the battery and enterin the small hole. (6) are automatically release The liquid spray entering the small 0 ening at 6 must change the direction 0' its course abruptly to enterthe narrow annular space between the glass cylindera'nd the cap. The combination thus serves as a baflie'and tends to condense any spray of liquid, the ca' force of gravity causing it to flow back down l along the wallsoii'theannular space.

when the device is in place and one desires to inspect.the'level' of'the liquid or measure its specific gravityggthe elastic bulb ma'y be compressed,.released and theele'ment lifted for inspection; Ifuthe liquid in the battery is up to its proper level the, glass cylindenwill be filled with'the liquid. 1 The specific gravity of the spheres in the cylinder may be so graded that the will all float if thebattery is fully charge they will all made with t e floating sphere principle. Therefore I do not claim these features broadly. The design of my invention is a. distinct improvement over any previous devices'in obtaining, first extreme simplicity of construction, second, economy of space, the height of the cap bein no more than the common variety of cap designed only to close the filling opening.

I claim: Y

The combination, with a battery cap or with the filling opening of a battery, of an element consistmg essentially of a glass cylinder, an elastic bulb attached "to the glass cylinder and a hydrometer device contained in the glass cylinder, said element operating partly within the battery, the bulb closing the opening into the battery and held against 20 -the opening by the weight of said element.

ALLEN GARRISON. 

